Around 15% of U.S. adults report mild to severe hearing problems in one or both ears. One in three people older than age 60 have hearing issues — but hearing loss can affect anyone.
Causes and Consequences of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is most often caused by damage to the inner ear. Age is also one of the leading causes. Other causes include head injuries, diseases like diabetes, ear infections or medications. Sometimes, there is no known cause.
When you can, avoid noise exposure because even mild hearing loss affects quality of life and the ability to work or socialize. Protect your hearing with headphones or earplugs.
“Even if you think you can cope with your hearing loss, treatment is essential,” said Jamie Jensen, CCC-A, AuD, audiologist. “Studies link hearing loss to faster cognitive and physical decline in older adults, including an increased risk for dementia. Dementia risk is 1.4% higher for people with hearing loss than people who hear normally. Treatment can prevent up to 7% of cases.”
Social isolation, depression, loneliness and problems functioning at work are other companions of hearing loss. Safety also comes into play. A mild hearing deficit can triple your risk of falling.
If you have a hard time following conversations or ask people to repeat themselves, your hearing is compromised. Other signs include problems understanding conversation due to background noise, trouble hearing higher-pitched voices or raising the volume to hear your TV.
Treatment Options Include Hearing Aid Technology
“We have so many treatments for mild, moderate and severe hearing loss,” Jensen said. “Hearing aid technology has improved significantly over the past 10 years. Hearing aids are unobtrusive and have Bluetooth® settings, including the ability to use a phone app to adjust hearing settings. Assistive listening devices like remote microphones can help in more difficult situations such as noisy environments and meetings.”
Advanced treatment options are available depending on the cause and severity of the hearing loss. These include:
- Surgery to correct a medical issue.
- Bone conductive implants that amplify sound by transmitting vibrations through the bones of the skull to the inner ear.
- Cochlear implants, a transmitter worn on the head that sends signals to a surgically implanted receiver, allowing the brain to interpret signals as sound.
Our experienced team of audiologists, otolaryngologists and neurotologists provide a thorough analysis of hearing loss and recommend treatments to most effectively meet your goals.
Learn more at froedtert.com/ent or make an appointment by calling 414-777-7700.
